St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-14
Communicated

| communicated
EDITOR DEMOCRAT
Dear Sir, please grant me space for
the following.
On the night of April 10Th last it was
rumOred that my cO-laborer and friend
Mr.. j. S. Bailey was murdered by Mr..
jeff. Thompson in the back yard of
Mr.. c.. Brands residence where Mr..
Bailey was boarding and lodging up to
the time of his death; Mr.. Bailey being
partner of mine in the speciality of
repairing sewing machines, and know
! ing some little of his whereabouts and
| his family connections, and he being
connected with me as a partner in this
special branch of business naturally
STRUCK me very forcably as being my
duty ~ inform his relatives of his death
and the cause of same. Not having the
full and exact particulars at the time,
as to how Mr.. Bailey came by his death
and not wishing to place myself III Il
false position, | merely stated to them
that he had been killed. | some ten or
fifteen days afterwards received Il res
ponse to my notification, the contents
of which bore special request as to
the cause of the killing, the name of
the accused and if anything has been
dOue towards his arrest etc. 1t will be
observed that this last letter from Bal
ley's relatives, his brother IN law Mr..
J. A. Meuman a merchant of MOOrvllle
Indiana was received after the witness
ses had been examined, the evidence of
the CorOneTs jury taken and after the
wide spread oral circulation OF Mr..
jeff. Thompson surrender to Sheriff
Duson and he placing the executor OF
this rash act in the custody of bis
brother MI. J. j. Thompson, and the
final escape of the prisoner, notwith-
standing the reputability, intelligence,
and experience OF our Sheriff etc. etc.
| not being able to testify to the correct
ness of the above circulation, placed
me in very anomalous position in the
way of giving a correct reply, | conse-
auently, deemed it proper to show
this letter to our Sheriff, he being Us
thought the proper authority to con-
suit, and get the necessary lntorma-
ion to communicate to Mr.. Bailey's
brother in law, but, when | had occa
sion to see our Sheriff and presented
him the letter, and telling him my
business, he refused to read it by say
iug"I feel too badly, show it to me
some other time 1t has now been
about ten days since | presented him
this letter and | have not seen him
since. and as see no chance of getting
a reply in any other way, | make the
inquiry publicly through this paper to
any man, be he private citizen or pub
lie officer, so he~gives me II correct re-
piy to the following question. Has
anything been done towards the arrest
of Mr. jeff. Thompson, and how does
the case stand? The reason | ask this
question is because it has been asked |
me. by Bailey's relatives and | am I'M
able to answer it. and believe it is my |
duty to do so as Bailey was q stranger |
here and in business with me since his
arrival in this town. | also make this a
public question, because it is public |
question, being asked by almost every !
one throughout this parish, and | don't |
think have written anything but what |
is known publicly, therefore hope !
have not done or said anything that !
will tend to lead any one to believe that
| am trying to do injury to or cast any !
slurs at any one, for it is not my inten-
bion; my only intention being to do my
duty as any other man would or should
DO under similar circumstances.
A. c. kENEDY.